Moving on a 201?

[Stu_R]

I know I've spoken about this here for a while; apologies if you're fed up of hearing about it, but I've come to a cold realisation that my DR201 won't be needed anytime in the forseeable - and it's a damn shame to know it should be a gigging amp. I've already sold on it's matching 4122 cab to a pro I know, so......

Because of work pressure I never got further in getting the cap job that it needs. So I’m now thinking about selling it on without the job done, with the price reduced to match that. Good idea or bad idea? I’ve heard conflicting ideas on whether to keep it original or workable. I've been told the caps are good now for occasional use - but not for regular gigs.

I’ve also heard conflicting ideas of it’s worth from a few folk who should know. It has 4 x GEC KT88s in it, which are still usable. My amp tech says that two of them are “very slightly microphonic, but it wouldn’t be noticeable with the output of the beast”. That too I’ll reflect in the price.

I’m not sure if it would add much value to many users, but it’s had only two owners including me. The previous one was one Noddy Holder of the 70’s/80s band Slade (with signed provenance from him). It was his main stage amp from 1976 to 1984 (which is probably when the KT88s date from). It’s had a couple of mods professionally done to the back for Noddy’s needs, to add a DI and Slave output. It did have a multi-socket type mains lead from it’s Slade days, but I had it retro-fitted with a Bulgin.

I’m guessing but if I thought (for eg) that the Slade link would add £200 to it’s value – but cancel that out by the cap job & tube/valve slight issue and settled for £1400 + postage&packing at cost, is that about right?

On the packaging aspect I keep it in an SKB hard trolley-case, which I was going to use as the inner part of double-box packaging with the usual overload of packing/polystyrene.

I've shipped two amp heads internationally before; in both cases it worked better for the buyer - and far cheaper than UK prices, to have the buyer organise a courier from their location. Both were FedEx in my cases - is that a reasonable request to make of a potential buyer?

I’d appreciate thoughts on all of the query points I’ve raised before I put it up for sale.

[Dr.HI-TONE]

I think that is a great deal for someone!

I like your approach to packaging too.

Come back and visit from time to time!

[mhuss]

I agree, fair deal for sure.

Make sure you overpack it before shipping. I have a 201 here that has the PT sheared off its screws from landing hard on one end during shipping, and this happened while it was in a flight case inside a shipping box.

--mark

[Stu_R]

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I'm prepared to wait for the long haul for the right buyer - rather than risk the Ebay route. I was just looking for endorsement that it was a reasonable deal.
Point taken Mark - and thanks for the reminder. As I said, I've sent two valve amps overseas. One was a Vamp to Australia, the other another DR201 to NY State. Both double-boxed etc, the 201 was about the size of a small coffin when it went. Very strangely they both ended up with broken mains indicator lamps, but that was the only damage.
The other size of that coin is that I knew a guy who had an almost mint DR405 shipped from Edinburgh to NM which was dropped en route and the weight/momentum of the trannys buckled the chassis by 2-3 inches. IIRC he used a forklift trucks forks to bend it back. From virtual mint to that disaster was horrendous!

[OldSchoolDave]

Make sure you overpack it before shipping. I have a 201 here that has the PT sheared off its screws from landing hard on one end during shipping, and this happened while it was in a flight case inside a shipping box.

Because of the massive transformers on Hiwatts, I have put either rigid foam or heavily wadded bubble wrap between transformers and the inside walls of the case. Still not bullet-proof, but the amps I've shipped to date have arrived safely (knock on wood).

Dave

[ak-47]

Ew... Shipping nightmares.... Ouch!!!

Hope your amp finds a good home!

[Stu_R]

Because of the massive transformers on Hiwatts, I have put either rigid foam or heavily wadded bubble wrap between transformers and the inside walls of the case. Still not bullet-proof, but the amps I've shipped to date have arrived safely (knock on wood).
Dave

Ew... Shipping nightmares.... Ouch!!!
Hope your amp finds a good home!

Hadn't thought of packing the trannies, though when I shipped the 201 I had the tubes wrapped in stacks of bubble-warp and that completely filled the gap where they'd been.

Yeah, I'll miss it to an extent, it's a nice thing to have after a life-time of Slade fandom. But the light has wained in that respect - and a machine like this deserves to roar on a regular basis - and with two cabs ........ **** does it roar!